Setting the U.S. Partner Stage for FY '08

Everywhere in Microsoft, people are busy laying the objectives and plans the The current financial year (earnings), in 2008 began July 1. U.S. partners group is no different. Robert Desai, vice president of Microsofts U.S. Partners Group, poked His head, from the Middle East this process Microsoft to provide channel partners Readers in-depth understanding of some Microsofts priorities for 2008. Following is the excerpt Desai comments to refuse collection points editor of Nova Scotia Tenibeike and Anne Stewart, Desai keynote His speech, refuse collection points in the recent inaugural meeting in Orlando techpartner, Florida ,
to the U.S. partners of the Group of priorities for 2008: at a high level, We are in the early part of our fiscal year 2008 to planning In the process, Therefore, I need to ensure that we know that. [Priority follow-up] just kind of a well-off - impromptu things, I 100 99 per certainly will appear in our Finance # 39 08 priorities.

on the help of partners connected to each other: a priority Matters is partners to contact partners, to build what is truly Meaning.

Traditionally, we have already done so [], connecting the country to certain types Partners.

we have these procedures to test the right, achieving a number of different Target on the basis of more local needs. We will establish a procedure will be very consistent across the United States and will Open more from a wide range of social partners to partners in terms of¿´.

We not only see a lar or distributor connected to the VAR and Si, but also [be] independent software developers to enter the market also [work] telecommunications and other non-traditional partnership, we want to ensure that happened.

connect to the Web agency is another potential opportunity, we can We see that as encouraging enterprises to advance. [We are trying to] build a wealth of experience, which will allow They have a more simple way to connect more easily set up the way Relations, because it is very expensive to set up and management, and also [try to ], Established procedures and things behind the that. Therefore, we want to do is ... engineers pointed out that, as more and we can achieve Some characteristics or the relationship.


communication ... is To a We continue to invest.

We have really work Efforts in last six to nine months Months Estimated pointed out: How can we better Communication and the wider Set up the partnership.

-- Robert Desai, vice president, United States Microsoft Partner Group Partners in the preparation: preparation will continue to [key] as You would imagine with the next wave of products come out. We have a considerable number of products across many different capacities, If we are to ensure that preparations for a position that we are doing a great job for our partners. This means that, not only at the technical level, Moreover, the [provisions] sales , Marketing and competition preparation and enabling. We also need to ensure that we not only developing countries and delivery, but Were doing a do a really good job in landing the content Therefore, Its been used.

ensure that we are partners at every level is understandable, this [content] is, how they can access it, how can they in their planning and preparation for launch, so that they can provide experience of the customers, they need to. This to me is equally important as the content, we will work together -- Ensure that it Lands and clubs and we have been we use it.

challenge you when we hear in these different settings, we have Under normal circumstances, the room is half the people would not enter the material¡­¡­.

whether they do not know how, or they have to consider the time, Because in the past experience so that they believe is perhaps not worth it. That equation changes in the past few years. It rich and get richer, Therefore, we must ensure that [ Partners visit materials] ".

Overhaul of Microsofts communication and cooperation partners: communication Part of [preparation] efforts will be a continuous investment us. We really work hard in the last 6-9 months in the estimates Pointed out: how we can better communicate with a wider range of partners.

what we are doing is connecting from a local communications engine region to other countries in the region and we are improving our engine in the country, and those connected to the rest of the world engine, eventually.

From the U.S. perspective, we ensure that we have all these places Efforts to leverage through the engine, so that we are to continue to provide [1] a consistent look, feel and engagement strategy around these communications Across the entire United States and so that we can use a series of Best practices between regions and consolidate, and we must know All those in the United States has always been around. We are still working Become more and more and more personalized.

On the licensing: From a licensing point of view, we will continue to look at how we To promote a more open business customers less more than 250 seats. Have an important opportunity in small and medium-sized todays business, which is Very good service and opening up the licensing of our products, including open The value of which has many advantages. We have to go to work very close Partners of all the different fronts. However, the company from ISV vendors vars We SiS the breadth of our distributors, even our big The account is looking for distributors in the construction business around the open of business.

This is a great opportunity, so we going to look at the growth of business many bit.

"Other side of that equation, there are some unique opportunities we will continue to promote what I would say is the core, and medium-sized market -2 50 seats to 1,000 seats. We can see that an enterprise agreement [environmental] choice. So many of these customers [] a series of different agreements -- They can open, they can be chosen. They actually lost some great opportunities, in our environment Assessment procedures. As a part of, we were really smart about our positioning and we The investment in our system, we can find out who these Potential customers and how we can go out to help them understand Why environment Is a better investment for their companies. Many times, [approach] will be much less money in our Pockets, the short term, but it real customers on a program of Better for their business and [strengthen] long-term relationship, Is really what we are after.

We must ensure that our investment from their long-term, rather than Is just a time to hit. Therefore, we will put some focus and time as good. Now, the medium-sized market, we are about 12 percent of the invasive and emergency The ambulance service. We will see an increase, because we believe that a very good opportunity, For those customers.

of Microsofts business incubators: Another area, we will Focusing on the fiscal08, we will expand, more later, because we passed Our fiscal08 planning, is our incubator companies. This is around unifiedcommunications, security, CRM and ERP developments. Of course, our server business, although This is not hatching, the other The yes. We have a lot of launch activities of what happened around our server business, We will drive pretty to work hard for the coming year.

in Microsofts global partners meeting, scheduled for July 10 to 12 In Denver: Yes, will continue to discuss the evolution of The Microsoft Partner Program, which is actually a big one pair of everyone.

[a detailed description of] software plus services, [Microsofts blended delivery of the strategic software as a service]. There is, of course, a lot of information, all around the press release . More than 12 -1 8 months , I think we have no less than 12 The launch occurred. This is a real big deal, not only related products, to market . [
many] things, preparation and the surrounding sales and marketing Marketing, [] we intend to do things as a company, from brand And marketing positions all the way down to through Partnership and and partners. All of these to be updated, and some will be a new The revival of about a wide range of capabilities and products.

We will not forget about Vista / Office. You will see continued and ramp of play, because they are All things, where there is a connectivity This whole People ready concept. We are at this point now where the people will seize this A concept. I think this is a small effort for them because we have not really made On the full experience, from a [solutions] position. But as we move through this next wave of products come out, them See more we are trying to convey the message that it will Adhere to begin.

excertps from rcpmag online exclusive interview with Microsoft Vice President of the United States Partners Group Robert Desai.

on the current wave absorption of Microsoft products, such as Windows Vista in, 2007 Microsoft Office system, Exchange Server 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 in: everything is moving very, very quickly. We are just in different stage of the terms, when things are released, and How do they adapt to divided into different life-cycle work with a variety of Partners we have.

In fact, I think that kind of commitment, the companys position, from All the different groups, we are on the provision of the expectations The company as a whole.

When I use the word surprise in the [Windows Vista] Platinum product specifications [ Desai in the keynote of Microsofts media group at the techpartner March 28], it is not a "wow, we are totally surprised." This is conservative about our plans, through the payment of premium, use and Because we have done a number of different, to about this. Because we are developing premium product specifications, we have taken A real conscious effort to work with customers and partners to promote Add the correct value of the premiums product specifications, better than We have ever received.

as we do so, we have taken a slightly different approach from product The position we had hoped, and then have predicted. The good news is, , we are forecast to exceed the premium, the use of Because connect to the efforts of actually being realized. This is a good thing.

what is that people are looking at different views, Whether consumers or enterprises, they are looking for is what in these different premiums, the use of everyone, no matter it is a security Play, whether it is a corporate function, whether it is a technical Play for the early adopters.

the scope of the partners Advisory Council Live service: in the 2006 Global Microsoft] partners meeting, [Microsoft CEO] Steve [Ballmer] announced that the Committees Live service. The Committee of live service is not just life, its really look at Live service as an integral part of management services. Management services are more extensive and more done a certain way, it Not just a certain type of means of delivery. It can be published - premise, it can provide escrow, Can provide living in the sky, really software as a service, the Trusteeship Council Services and , and so on. Management services cover all of these.

Microsoft plans to partner management services: when we look back in the management services], we know that we need to create a whole vision and plans to solve all the different needs of these customers And how we work with partners across stream, where the economic Implications, as well as to the partners. Therefore, as part of the way, we look forward to in this regard not only "OK, heres a process that will resolve the licensing need Customers. "We also need to look at the experience part of yes, how we Help partners bridge, from profitability - of - their business The position, which from this on - under the premise of the experience and methods They drive the services, other economic model, which is handling Host. Because the host is very different from the service, they do so, then When you talk about the Live service you talk about a whole other economic model . We are trying to find out as a part of this work, and with partners doing so, this is how we kind of "two sides of the divide," stealing 1½Ü¸¥ÀïĶûterm. [Channel rift is the title of Moores 1991 classic book marketing And sales of high-tech products of the mainstream customers. ] This is a crucial matter, we really tried to close Attention. [Microsoft] the leadership is very sensitive to the impact of these Models of the partners, so we are trying to our figure out the best How, we can get from here to there to do in the way cooperation Partners can still profitable, but also [makes sense, from Commercial position, for Microsoft]. We are trying to find a balance in the equation. I do not have answers to sit here and tell you what This is not yet. All I can tell you is that we are very hard to solve this problem The entire management services, and cooperation partners and customers try to and plans What looks like. I do not think anyones resolve, to quite honest. Robert the business bookshelf: ½Ü¸¥ÀïĶûis my favourite writer. I do not have favorites reservations or favorite author. I just am a fan of books dealing with innovation and evolution and leadership.